Substructure for oil well derricks



Jan. 14, 1936- L s. B. SETTLE E AL 2,028,019

SUBSTRUCTURE FOR OIL WELL DERRICKS Filed Sept. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1634MuEL 5 E7725- HEQBEQT A. doH/vso/v Jan. 14, 1936. s. B. SETTLE ET ALSUBSTRI JCTURE FQR OIL WELL DERRICKS 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 Filed se plz,1955 YWO/Hww 54M1/E'LBJE-7TLE HEQBEETAJOHMSON Patented Jan. 14, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUBSTRUCTURE FOR OIL DERRICKS ApplicationSeptember 12, 1935, Serial No. 40,332

15 Claims.

This invention relates to substructures for oil well derricks.

In the erection of oil well derricks, it formerly was the practice toemploy various types of supporting structures for the derricks. Forexample, derricks were mounted on poured concrete piling, wood pilingand cribbing, and other heavy timbered supports, depending upon thelocation of the derrick.

More recently it has become the practice to provide steel supportingsubstructures for derricks, such substructures having been originallyemployed in wet and swampy locations and their use having extendedgenerally for the supporting of derricks in all localities because oftheir inherent advantages. For example, a steel substructure can befabricated from structural ele-' ments in such a manner as to formparticularly eflicient supporting means for the derrick, with v thederrick supported a substantial distance above the surrounding ground,thus making it,

unnecessary to excavate a cellar to provide accessibility to bolts, pipefittings, blow out preventers and other equipment which is installedunder the working floor of the derrick.

An important object of the present invention is to provide substantialimprovements in fabricated derrick substructures to provide numerousadditional advantageous features.

More specifically, an important object of the present invention is toprovide a novel substructure wherein the weight of the parts is reducedwhile providing additional strength for supporting the derrick.

A further object is to provide a substructure which includes a minimumnumber of parts and which provides interchangeability of parts, thusfacilitating the manufacture, erection and dismantling of the structure.

A further object is to provide a substructure having a high degree ofportability, since it may be transported in knocked down condition andeasily erected by the usual derrick crews.

A further object is to provide a substructure .15 which operates as apermanent support for a derrick and which includes supporting means foruse in mechanisms used in the drilling of a well, such as the engine,draw works, etc., the supporting means being readily capable of beingdismantled for use with other substructures. A further object is toprovide a substructure which substantially reduces fire hazards, thusprotecting the derrick and mechanism associated therewith from injury.

A further object is to provide a structureof the character referred towhich is capable of being completely salvaged, as distinguished from theearlier structures wherein there could be substantially no salvaging ofthe concrete and/or timber supporting means employed.

A further object is to provide a derrick substructure having novelcorner columns which operate more efliciently for carrying loads andstrains and stresses of various types to which a supporting structure ofthis character is subjected.

A further object is to provide a substructure of the character referredto wherein the novel arrangement of the corner columns with relation tothe legs of the derrick is such that the vertical plane of the neutralaxis of each derrick leg coincides with the vertical plane of the web ofthe structural elements usedfor each corner column. o

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the drawings we have shown one embodiment of the invention. In thisshowing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the substructure,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing a portion of two ofthe derrick legs,

"Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one corner portion of thesubstructure, parts being broken away,

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of Figure 3, and,

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral [0 designates the substructureas a whole and, as will become apparent, this substructure is adapted tosupport the usual derrick both during the drilling of a. well and duringproduction therefrom. It also will become apparent that the same derrickmay be employed during drilling and production, or, after a well hasbeen drilled in, the derrick may be removed and replaced by a productionderrick without disturbing the sub-' structure in any manner. Thesubstructure is substantially square in plan as indicated in Figure 1and comprises four corner. columns H which form .the principalsupporting means. Each of the columns I l is of the H-beam typeincluding bases [2 and I3 connected by the usual web M. The cornercolumns are preferably vertically arranged as shown in Figures 2 and 3and each has its web arranged in the same veritical plane as thediagonally opposite column.

Girders l5 are employed for connecting the upper ends of the cornercolumns. At each of ployed for connecting the columns to the adjacentends of the two adjacent girders I5. Each plate I6 is bent to form endportions l1 and I8, and the end portion ll of each connecting plate isbolted as at I!) to the adjacent end of the adjacent girder l5. Theother ends I8 of the connecting plates are riveted as at l9 to the basesl3 of the respective corner columns, and each plate portion I8 is alsowelded as at 2D to its associated column base 3. In manufacturingtheapparatus at the factory the connecting plates may be riveted as atI9 to the columns and then welded in position, thus making a permanentjoint between these elements. Corner portions of the girders |5 may beangularly braced by channel iron or similar braces 20', bolted beneaththe girders 5 as indicated in Figure 2.

A cap plate 2| is arranged over the top of each column, the latterelements being squared on their upper ends to permit the cap plates toseat thereon. These cap plates are welded to the upper ends of thecolumns as at 22 and a corner plate 23 is arranged in the angle betweeneach cap plate 2| and the outer face of the adjacent base |3 of theadjacent column as shown in Figure 3, and is welded to both of theseelements. As shown in Figure 4, the outer corner of each cap plateoverhangs the outer limit of the adjacent column and the angle supports23' adequately brace the overhanging corners of the cap plates 2|.

Lower girders 24 are arranged between the lower ends of the adjacentpairs of corner columns and are bolted as at 25 to connecting plates(not shown) which are identical with the plates l6 previously described,except as to their width, the width of the lower connecting platescorresponding to the.width of the girders 24. The lower girders 24extend throughout the length only of the sides of the substructurewherein no interference occurs with any apparatus used in connectionwith the derrick. For ex ample, Figure 2 of the drawings illustrates anelevation of the ladder side of the substructure, a space 26 being leftfor mud box clearance between angular braces 21 connected at their upperends to the adjacent girder I5 and at their lower ends to the inner endsof the girder sections 24. All sides of the substructure are suitablybraced as indicated generally by the numeral 28, the particular type ofbracing being of no particular importance in connection with the presentinvention.

The substructure is adapted to support the usual derrick, the legs ofwhich are indicated in the drawings by the numeral 29. In accordancewith the usual practice, the legs of the derrick are made of anglesection, as shown in Figure 4, and the lower end of each derrick leg isprovided with a base plate 3|] welded thereto and bolted to the capplate2| as at 3|. Attention is invited to the fact that the bolts 3| occupythe positions set as standard in the accepted specifications in the artto which the present invention relates, and accordingly the conventionalpositions of these bolts need not be changed in employing the presentinvention.

The derrick tapers to decrease in size toward its upper end, as is wellknown, and the diagonally opposite derrick legs incline toward eachother in a common plane. This common plane, in the present apparatus ismade to coincide with the common plane of the diagonally oppo- .thecomer columns a connecting plate 5 is emsite column webs l4. Referringto Figure 4 the neutral axis of one of the derrick legs 29 is indicatedby the numeral 32, and it will be noted that this axis substantiallycoincides with the neutral axis of the associated column H. In otherwords, the load carried by each derrick leg centers with respect to theneutral axis 32 of such leg and this axis lies over the associatedcorner column web l4 and directly in the plane thereof. Moreover, theloads carried by diagonally opposite derrick legs are confined to aplane which is coincident with the common vertical plane of the webportions of the associated diagonally opposite corner columns I Thesubstructure is supported in any suitable manner. Each column H isprovided at its lower end with a base plate 33 welded thereto and acorner brace 34 similar to the plate 23 may be employed in connectionwith each base plate 33, each plate 34 being preferably welded to itsassociated base plate 33 and the corner column base I3. The base plates33 are bolted or otherwise secured to the particular type of foundationemployed. Such foundations, for

example, may comprise wood piling, the combination of a wood mat andconventional steel grillage, etc., the particular foundation means forthe substructure being of no importance per se, so far as the presentinvention is concerned. As previously stated, the substructure may beleft standing undisturbed after a well is drilled in in order to supportthe production derrick, and the substructure is adapted to carrysupporting means for the engine, rotary draw works, etc. For example,such supporting means may be arranged as shown in Figure 1 and indicatedas a whole by the numeral 35; Such supporting means may include varioushorizontal structural members 36, 31, 38 and 39, depending upon the kindand disposition of the apparatus to be supported thereby, and mayfurther include angular braces 40. All of the elements comprising thesupporting means 35 are preferably bolted to the elements of thesubstructure so as to be removed therefrom after the drilling operationis completed.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

A suitable foundation is laid down for the substructure, suchfoundation, of course, being limited in height as distinguished from theuse of relatively high poured concrete supporting posts, cribbing, etc.as formerly employed in particularly wet or marshy land. The base plates33 are then secured in proper position on the foundation with thecolumns occupying their desired positions in the substructure. Theentire substructure is constructed at the site, except as to suchelements as the cap plates 2|, base plates 33 and tie plates I6 whichare welded in position at the factory. After the complete erection ofthe permanent substructure elements including the columns girders l5,etc., the temporary-supporting structure 35 is erected to support theapparatus employed in the drilling of the well, such as the engine,rotary draw works, etc. The derrick is erected over the substructureexactly in accordance with present practice, it having been pointed outthat the securing bolts 3| for the derrick leg base plates 30 occupy thesame position as laid down in the specifications of the industry.

The various apparatus employed in connection with the drilling of thewell is then installed on the supporting means provided for thispurpose, such as the supporting structure 35, and

other advantageous features.

the drilling of the wellis carried out in the usual manner. After thedrilling of the well has been completed, the elements comprising thesupporting structure 35 may be dismantled and transported to a differentsite to be erected in connection with another substructure frame. Ac-

cordingly it. will be apparent that it is unnecessary to provide asupporting structure 35 for each main substructure, and the cost ofsuccessive installations is thus materially reduced.

In previous substructures fabricated from structural steel it has beenthe practice to employ largely angle and channel members for all of theparts of the substructure including the supporting legs or columns. Ithas been found that a much lighter and less expensive structure can beprovided by the arrangement of the parts disclosed, particularly withrelation to the use and arrangement of the form of corner columnsdescribed. It will'be noted that each corner column is provided with avertical supporting portion lying in the vertical plane of the neutralaxis of the derrick leg supported thereby. It is also particularly notedthat the webs of diagonally opposite columris are arranged in a commonvertical plane which is also the common vertical plane of the neutralaxes of the. two corresponding derrick legs. Likewise it will beapparent that the webs of the corner columns substantially bisect theangles between the sides ofthe substructure. It

also will be noted that the flanges of the comer columns are arrangedperpendicular to a line drawn diagonally from corner to corner of thesubstructure. It has been found that the arrangement of parts referredto greatly strengthens the substructure against the strains and loads towhich it is subjected such as the dead weight of the derrick, drillingimpacts, vibrations and wind load, at the same time permitting the useof a lighter substructure. Thus, a cheaper and more eflicientsubstructure is provided which may be more readily and quickly assembleddue to the lightness of the parts and the minimum weight thereof.

The construction disclosed embodies numerous For example, it eliminatesthe fire hazard present in a derrick structure wherein the derrick issupported on timbering of various kinds. With suchlatter constructions.it has been found in practice that the burning of the heavy timberscreates an intense heat such as tov cause the complete collapse of aderrick and irreparable damage to the rotary machinery. In the presentcase, of

course, a wood-derrick floor will be laid over the substructure and suchflooring may burn but will not cause the-intense heat present in theburning of heavy supporting timbers, and in the case of the burning ofthe derrick floor the steel substructure -will remain intact and-willpreserve the rotary equipment and steel derrick ifnimpaired. Moreover,the substructure p videsla na ural cellar beneath the derrick floor, husfacili ting accessibility to equipment which is ordinarily installedbeneath the working floor of the derrick. In this connection, it will benoted that it was the formerpractice to support derricks a substantialdistance above the ground only in wet or marslw land, but the structureof the present apparatus makes its use highly advantageous in allinstallations. The structure is also capable of complete salvaging,which obdeparting from the spirit of theinvention viously is not true ofprevious types of derrick supports.

It is to be uuderstoodthat the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. A substructure for 'derricks comprising a polygonal frame including acorner column at each corner thereof, each column having a fiat portionarranged in a vertical plane substantially bi-secting the angle of theassociated corner of said frame, and means for rigidly supporting thelower end of a derrick leg over and with respect to the upper end ofeach corner column. 2. A substructure for derricks comprising a'polygonal frame including a corner column at each corner thereof saidcolumns being arranged in diagonally opposite pairs, the columns of.each diagonally opposite pair having a flat portion arranged in a commonvertical plane;and means for rigidly supporting the lower end of a.derrick leg over and with respect to the upper end of each cornercolumn.

3. A substructure for derricks comprising a polygonal frame including acorner column at each corner thereof, each column having a'flat portionarranged in a vertical plane substantially bi-secting the angle of theassociated corner of said frame, girders arranged between each adjacentpair of corner columns at the upper ends thereof, tie plates connectingeach. 4

end ofeach girder to the adjacent corner column, and means for rigidlysupporting the lower end of a derrick leg over and with respect to theupper end of each corner column.

4. A substructure for derricks comprising a polygonal frame including acorner column at each corner thereof, said columns being arranged indiagonally opposite pairs, each column of each pair having a flatportion arranged in a common vertical plane, girders extending betweeneach adjacent pair of corner columns at the upper ends thereof, tieplates connecting each end of each girder to the adjacent comer column,and means for rigidly supporting the lower end of a derrick leg over andwith respect to the upper end of each corner column.

5. A substructure for derricks comprising a polygonal frame including acorner column at each corner thereof, each column having a flat portionarranged in a vertical plane substantially '-secting the angle of theassociated corner of sa frame, and a cap plate fitting against andsecured to the upper end of each corner column and having bolt openingsfor rigidly securing the lower end of a derrick leg with respectthereto.

6. A substructure for derricks comprising a polygonal frame including. acorner column at each corner thereof, said columns being arranged indiagonally opposite pairs, the colurnns of each diagonally opposite pairhaving a flat portion arranged in a common vertical plane, and a capplate fitting against and secured to the upper end of each corner columnand having bolt openings for rigidly securing the lower end of a derrickleg with respect thereto. V I 7. A substructure for derricks comprisinga polygonal frame including a corner column at each corner thereof, eachcolumn having a flat portion arranged in a vertical plane substantiallybi-secting the angle of the associated corner of said frame, supportingmeans detachably carried bysaid frame wholly independently of saidcorner columns, and means for rigidly supporting the lower end of aderrick leg with respect to the upper end of each corner column.

8. A substructure for derricks comprising a polygonal frame including acorner column at each corner thereof, each column having a flat portionarranged in a vertical plane substantially bi-secting the angle of theassociated corner of said frame, girders arranged between each adjacentpair of corner columns at the upper ends thereof, tie plates connectingeach end of each girder to the adjacent corner column, supporting meansdetachably carried by said girders, and means for rigidly supporting thelower end of a derrick leg with respect to the upper end of each cornercolumn. I

9. The combination with a derrick having downwardly diverging legs, of asubstructure for supporting the derrick comprising a frame having aplurality of vertical corner columns corresponding in arrangement to thelower ends of the derrick legs, each column having a flat portionarranged in the vertical plane of the neutral axis of one of the derrick.legs, and means for rigidly supporting the lower end of each derrickleg with respect to its associated corner column.

10. The combination with a derrick having downwardly divergingsupporting legs arranged in diagonally opposite pairs, of a substructurefor supporting the derrick comprising a polygonal frame havingdiagonally opposite pairs of corner columns vertically arranged andcorresponding in position to the lower ends of the legs of the derrickand arranged therebeneath, each corner column of each pair having a webportion lying in a common plane and in the vertical plane of the neutralaxes of a diagonally opposite pair of derrick legs, and means forrigidly supporting the lower ends of the derrick legs with respect tothe upper ends of the corresponding corner columns.

11. The combination with a derrick having downwardly divergingsupporting legs arranged in diagonally opposite pairs, of a substructurefor supporting the derrick comprising a. polygonal frame includingdiagonally opposite pairs of corner columns vertically arranged andcorresponding in position to the lower ends of the derrick legs, eachcorner column being of H- beam section with the flanges of each beamsection arranged perpendicular to the web' thereof, each web of eachpair of diagonally opposite columns lying in a common plane and in thecommon plane of the neutral axes of a pair of diagonally oppositederrick legs, and means for rigidly supporting the lower ends of thederrick legs with respect to the upper ends of the correspondingcolumns.

12. The combination with a derrick having downwardly divergingsupporting legs arranged in diagonally opposite pairs, of a substructurefor supporting the derrick comprising a polygo nal frame havingdiagonally opposite pairs of corner columns vertically arranged andcorresponding in position to the lower ends of the legs of the derrickand arranged therebeneath, each corner column of each pair having a webplates.

portion lying in a common plane and in the vertical plane of the neutralaxes of a diagonally opposite pair of derrick legs, a cap plate rigidlysecured to the upper end of each corner column,

a base plate rigidly secured to the lower end.

of each derrick leg, and means for securing each base plate to one ofsaid cap plates.

13. The combination with a derrick having downwardly divergingsupporting legs arranged in diagonally opposite pairs, of a substructurefor supporting the derrick comprising a polygonal frame includingdiagonally opposite pairs of corner columns vertically arranged andcorresponding in position to the lower ends of thederrick legs, eachcorner column being of H- beam section with the flanges of each beamsection arranged perpendicular to the web thereof, each web of each pairof diagonally opposite columns lying in a common plane and in the commonplane of the neutral axes of a pair of diagonally opposite derrick legs,a cap plate rigidly secured to the upper end of each corner column, abase. plate rigidly secured to the lower end of each derrick leg, andmeans for securing each base plate to one of said cap plates.

14. The combination with a derrick having downwardly divergingsupporting legs arranged in diagonally opposite pairs, of a substructurefor supporting the derrick comprising a polygonal frame havingdiagonally opposite pairs of corner columns vertically arranged andcorre sponding in position to the lower ends of the legs of the derrickand arranged therebeneath, each corner column of each pair having a webportion lying in a common plane and in the vertical plane of the neutralaxes of a diagonally opposite pair of derrick legs, girders arrangedbetween each adjacent pair of corner columns at the upper ends thereof,tie plates connecting each end of each girder to a flange of theadjacent corner column, a cap plate rigidly secured to the upper end ofeach corner column, a base plate rigidly secured to the lower end ofeach derrick leg, .and means for securing each base plate to one of saidcap plates.

15. The combination with a derrick having downwardly divergingsupporting legs arranged in diagonally opposite pairs, of a substructurefor supporting the derrick comprising a polygonal frame includingdiagonally opposite pairs of corner columns vertically arranged andcorresponding in position to the lower ends of the derrick legs,,eachcorner column being of H- beam section with the flanges of eachbeam section arranged perpendicular to the web thereof, each web of eachpair of diagonally opposite columns lying in a common plane and in thecommon plane of the neutral axes of a pair of diagonally oppositederrick legs, girders arranged between each adjacent pair of .cornercolumns at the upper ends thereof, tie plates connecting each end ofeach girder to a flange of the adjacent corner column, a cap platerigidly secured to the upper end of each corner column, a base platerigidly secured to the lower end of each derrick leg, and means forsecuring each base' plate to. one of said cap SAMUEL B. SETTLE. HERBERTA. JOHNSON.

